Long Distance Thanksgiving Kindness

--by lanilaulii, posted Nov 18, 2010

I work with a warm, fun-loving woman named Heather. This year our boss asked a group of us to join his family on Thanksgiving. Seated around the table, Heather said something had totally changed her the day before -- like she was walking in a new direction. I listened and watched as her eyes welled with tears.

Heather deals daily with people on the telephone. She was speaking with a Veteran and asked if he was looking forward to Thanksgiving. She was surprised when he said no, and asked why.

He had been let go from his job more than a month before and was having a tough time making ends meet. He shared how hard it was to feel powerless to provide a Thanksgiving meal for his wife and children. She wished him a happy holiday and good luck. There was nothing to do but say good-bye and hang-up.

But I must do something, she thought. She knew the man’s address and started calling restaurants in California (we’re in Florida), asking if they could prepare and deliver a complete Thanksgiving dinner. Over and over she was told no, it was too late or no, we don’t do that or no, we don’t deliver on holidays.

Running out of options, she called a delicatessen and relayed what she wanted to do. The man at the Deli Man agreed to help -- If Heather would pay, he would shop for everything, prepare the meal and deliver it to the family on Thanksgiving.

And so it was, with a warm (anonymous) wish for a joyous Thanksgiving from someone who cared.

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Posted by lanilaulii
Nov 18, 2010
Comments (19)

Readers Comments

Aurelia wrote: Remarkable! That's so beautiful to hear. Thank you for sharing this with us. Heather has a heart of gold. Can you give her a smile card and a hug from all of us who love to hear these type of warm and loving gifts! Thanks :) ~Aurelia

iferlamb wrote: That is so AWESOME! I hope it was a warm to receive as it was to read about it!!
Thank you
smiles...

unknown wrote: Really nice. Inspiring and wonderful. Loved it. -Author Diana Neiderhiser.

Ailson wrote: We need more people like heather indeed in this world! Perhaps its time for our multinational corporations to create a budget in order to help those families who are suffereing around this time. Chrismas is coming and many people wont have much. In the end of the day, its easier to to treat our customers when they making our bank accounts bigger and bigger, but when they are in need, ha its much more difficult to look after them.

I wish the best to heather. And thanks for that.

Kris wrote: What a wonderful story. Heather and people like her are the people that make me want to be a better person.

C wrote: Cool story

A wrote: Pumpkin pie!

charlie wrote: I cannot thank you, heather enough for what she did; it just goes to show that you don't have to be in the same location to "make a miracle" for someone else.

Liz wrote: Beautiful heartwarming story!

Ron wrote: Thank you for such a heart warming story. We must be doers and not dreamers.

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